working with staff & students: a guide for college advisors carolyn hoy warwick school district...
TRANSCRIPT
Working with staff & students:a guide for College Advisors
Carolyn HoyWarwick School District
Gifted Support
Curriculum vitae
BS in Ed Communications Indiana University of PA
M Ed in Gifted Education, Millersville University
• Adjunct professor, Gifted Education, Millersville
High school teacher since 1978
• Taught English at rural high school 78-91
• Taught SAT preparation (reading/writing) since ‘91
Worked with ESL (English as a Second Language) students
• Worked with identified gifted since 1999
• Supervised Service Learning Program since 2002
Agenda
Working with school professionals
Guidance counselors, teachers, others
Resources for more assistance
Working with students
College essay writing resources
Writing letters of recommendation
Resources for you and students
Part I: Working with school professionals
How popular culture portrays guidance counselors...
Part I: Working with school professionals
A typical guidance counselor?
The reality
Too many students for work load
Social-emotional counseling
College advice/career guidance
Letters of recommendation
PSSA, SAT, PSAT, other standardized tests
Score reporting/data analysis on testing
Multi-tasking, impromptu work
Lack of respect from faculty
Teachers are targets
• PA Department of Ed budget cuts have left many school districts in a bind
• Programs are mandated and no longer funded
• State law does not allow tax increases• Budgets are ridiculously tight• Teachers will be doing more for less
To work effectively with school professionals...
Do your homework!
Respect the professionals’ experience, age, talents
Defer to the proper channels before making decisions
Be honest, always
To work effectively with school professionals...
Do not fall into the trap of gossip!
Try to avoid negative staff members
The secretary and custodial staff can be your best friends
Accept constructive criticism
Find ways to de-stress
To work effectively with school professionals...
Come up with solutions to problems and present them as possibilities
Your knowledge of technology may be more advanced; tread lightly
Use assertive, as opposed to aggressive or passive aggressive, techniques
Aggressive vs. Assertive
Assertiveness: helps you to communicate, clearly and with confidence, your feelings, needs, wants and thoughts, in addition to acknowledging the needs of others.
Ability to state your opinions without feeling self-conscious; express your emotions openly.
Make clear to others how you wish to proceed in all aspects of your life.
Shows you value others, respecting their right to an opinion as well.
2006-2008 Earthcommunications.com
Advice from the pros
Part II: Working with Students
What are today’s high school students really like?
The contradiction of the teenager
Love danger, adventure
Need to be independent
High energy
Want to be pampered, protected
Withdraw and seek privacy Demand privileges
Avoid responsibilities
Aware of social
problems and
welfare of others
Long periods of idlenessFeelings easily hurt by friends
In working with students...
Understanding today’s teen
Over stressed and over scheduled
Hyper-sexualized
Technologically connected
Friends are the new family
More dedicated and harder working
In working with students...
Avoid stereotyping from clothing, music
Treat each as an individual
Respect their choices
Issues of confidentiality
Listen to them, reflect back to them
In working with students...
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Remember it’s not about you
Dealing with student personality conflicts: rise above it
It might be something like this....
The College Application
Help with college essays
Common Application questions
• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you
• Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence
• Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
• Topic of your choice.
• musi
Help with college essays
Do’s and don’ts for essay writing• Step One: brainstorming
Step Two: selecting the topic
Step Three: writing the essay
Suggestion: have a seminar for students and use the Essay Edge curriculum to assist in writing essays
Let’s look at student essays
Chris (wikispace Essay 1)
Ashlee (wikispace Essay 2)
Writing Letters of Recommendation
Know your client! (letter of rec form)
Use impeccable grammar/mechanics
Be honest
Highlight a student’s positives
Explain any red flags on a transcript
EXERCISE: profile of students, let’s write a letter
Use the wikispace!
• www.collegeadvisors.wikispaces.com